


I'll start breathing after midnight

by Sekkaii



Category: Persona 4
Genre: But I also love to make the characters that I love suffer., But he comes back., Gen, Hello Persona 4 fandom, I love Yu, NAOTO IS BEST GIRL., NO SHIPP, Nanako as little sister., Nanako is older (since I like to fit her in P5), No beta we die like Saki in the canon, SHIP IS NOT HERE, She is too precious to this world., Sickfic, TEAM AS FAMILLY GODDAMMIT, Temporary Character Death, They're all ray of sunshine's, True ending of Persona 4., While Yu is busy dying Dojima and the investigation team has a heart attack., Why do people forget that Dojima also cares about Yu?, YU HAS TWO DAD'S AND A MOTHER AND THAT'S OK., Yu dies., Yukiko is a ray of sunshine, anyway, i fuckin love this game, i god i wrote that wrong, nope - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29631087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sekkaii/pseuds/Sekkaii
Summary: Yu is kidnapped instead of Nanako and things go from there to worse.
Relationships: Dojima Nanako & Narukami Yu, Dojima Ryotaro & Narukami Yu, Investigation Team & Narukami Yu
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	1. Sickness

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [if you can't save me, meet me in heaven instead](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14593962) by [Tatsumaki_sama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatsumaki_sama/pseuds/Tatsumaki_sama). 



> English is not my first language!! So if you see any spelling mistakes please warn so I can fix them!!
> 
> Thank you.

The day had started normal, they had gone to school, Yosuke takes some answers from Yu ( _and Yu gladly gives the answers, for Yosuke's salvation_ ) until a politician came to school that day.

  
  


He asked several students about how they felt about the fog that was getting worse each day.

  
  


The politician went, by chance, to ask Yu about the fog. 

  
  


“This fog isn't helping me with my exams.” He jokingly responded to the politician, with a certain level of sarcasm in his voice.

  
  


The politician did not seem to like the answer very much, but he did not quote and let it pass.

  
  


He left shortly after the fiasco that was his attempt to talk to the teenagers at the school.

  
  


But that was not something to worry about.

  
  


Later in the news, the politician said that the younger generation was not really concerned with what was going on.

  
  


None of them appeared on television or had their names mentioned, so they didn't think about it much.

* * *

A few days later, Yu started to feel a little bad, it wasn't horrible, just a cough here or there, a sneeze now and then. Until the dull headache and indisposition came, then everything got worse.

  
  


He tried to hide for a few days, thinking there was nothing to worry about. After all, it was just a cold, no big deal.

  
  


The universe soon decided to prove him wrong when it got worse in an alarming way.

  
  


Nanako caught him in the red-handed when he was sitting with his forehead against the table, trying to find some kind of heat, for his strangely cold body.

  
  


"Big brother?" She asks and approaches him, he takes his head off the table and turns to face her, she puts the palm of her hand on his forehead and feels the slightly alarming temperature he had.

  
  


"You have a fever," she says, looking him straight in the eye. ( _She looks like a mother_ ) "You shouldn't have ignored it like that.”

  
  


How she knew he was ignoring/hiding his fever is beyond him.

  
  


"I didn't think it would get any worse," he responds with tired eyes, and a little out of focus because of the fever. Nanako ( _proving even more how she looks like a mother_ ) looked at him with an angry look. "Well, and I think you were smart enough to know that an untreated illness gets worse."

  
  


"Well, I-" in the middle of the moment when he was going to defend himself a heavy cough came. His whole body was shaking with fever as he put his hand over his mouth and rested his other hand on the table.

  
  


Nanako, worried, tried to help him stop the sudden cough by patting him lightly. As the coughing stopped, Yu could see the worried look on her face.

  
  


The coughing stops a little later and he lets out a sigh and regrets when another cough almost comes ( _but it was a false alarm, the cough never came_ ).

  
  


"Are you okay?" She asks with a hand on his back as she pats lightly in comfort.

  
  


"I ... I'm better, Nanako, I'm sorry to worry about you." She walks away and with a sigh that no child should breathe, she looks directly at him and says in the hardest way that she can do it. "Go to the room," she said. "I'm going to make some tea, and after that, you're going to sleep, it can make you feel better, okay?"

  
  


Yu looks at the girl and soon responds.

  
  


"No, no. I can stay, it's nothing but an irritating cold."

  
  


"It didn't seem like a simple cold to me," Nanako responds to the older boy, a disapproving look on her face. 

  
  


"But it is, it's nothing, I promise."

  
  


"I don't trust your promise. You look bad, big brother, you _really_ don't look well."

  
  


"As I said before, Nanako, I'm _fine_ , it's _nothing_."

  
  


Knowing that she would not win this battle anytime soon, Nanako lets out a breath. Yu could be so stubborn at times.

  
  


"Well... At least turn on the heater under the table."

  
  


"There’s a heater under the table?" Yu asks the girl, immediately checking under the table and seeing that, yes, there was a heater under the table. "How did I never notice that this was here?"

  
  


Nanako lets out a laugh.

  
  


"I don't know if it still works, but it's always good to try," Nanako speaks. "If the heater doesn't work, you'll go to the bedroom and wrap yourself in sheets." The little girl says, soon returning to make tea for the silver-haired boy.

  
  


"Ok, ok.." Yu replies, trying to start the heater.

  
  


Once,

  
  


And a second

  
  


And a third.

  
  


"Nanako, I don't think the heater is working," Yu speaks, taking his head out from under the table. 

  
  


"The second option then. Straight to bed!" The girl says, pointing to the stairs.

  
  


Yu looks at Nanako a little until he starts to get up.

  
  


The fact that he doesn't remember the last time his mother did that to him may be a little alarming to some people, but not to Yu. His mother was seldom at home ( _neither was his father_ ) always working and traveling, and dragging him to another place that will have to stay ( _next to that may be not so nice people_ ) that his parents spent hours on end beside his bed when he became ill, it even served as a comfort in times like this.

  
  


Because of that, it was a little rare for someone to look at him with the same look that the girl of at most 12 years old looks at him, it even warms his heart.

  
  


"You are going to be a good mother." Yu sincerely told her. She looks at him with a small smile. "Thank you, but you're still going to sleep early."

  
  


Yu couldn't help but smile at his cousin's comment and went upstairs to the bedroom, hoping that the taste of sleep would stop the horrible headache he now feels.

* * *

Nanako had brought her cousin's tea later that night.

  
  


"How did you get sick like that, anyway?" Nanako asks when she gives tea to her cousin.

  
  


"It must be because of the cold." He answers the girl, taking the tea from her hand. "Since it’s November, it will get colder."

  
  


"Do you mean it will snow soon?" Nanako asks excitedly.

  
  


"Yes, it will start snowing in early December." Yu takes a sip of the tea. His headache had improved a little.

  
  


Nanako now has a smile from ear to ear. "Can we play in the snow when you get better? Like, you and daddy?"

  
  


"When I get better, I promise to make snowmen with you" Yu replies, affectionately.

  
  


"Yay! We are going to make a _huge_ snowman!" Nanako screams with joy.

* * *

At night, Yosuke was glazed on television, it was almost midnight and the next victim would appear soon, he has to be aware.

  
  


With his cell phone in one hand and sitting on the floor, he looks directly at the TV. The static appears and a man appears on his back, his white shirt and his silver hair were very visible compared to the orange aspect of the TV.

  
  


Soon he turns around and his face appears. The gray eyes ( _being obscured by the bangs_ ) and the face ( _a very well-formed one_ ) that could only belong to one person were there, and Yosuke couldn't believe it.

  
  


"Yu...?" He goes closer to the TV and soon after she hangs up, leaving him alone to think of the person who appeared on that damn channel.

  
  


Thinking fast, he picks up the phone to try to call Yu but gives up halfway. He's sick, tired, and exhausted, he's probably asleep ( _courtesy of Nanako_ ).

So he gives up and goes to sleep hoping to talk to his friends about the bizarre fact that his leader was on the channel.

* * *

Some of them decided to go to Yu's house, and others went to investigate ( _courtesy of Naoto_ ). They went to help Nanako take care of Yu and he was worse than they thought. He was feverish and slept all day, he didn't even wake up when they touched him.

  
  


It was bad, and it just worried them more, he was helpless, he was weak and he could barely sit down for soup.

  
  


They were worried and even a little paranoid about it.

  
  


Some of them stayed with Yu all the time in the room ( _Yukiko was worried, her motherly nature was showing up here_ ), changing the wet cloth on his forehead, while the fever made him sleep soundly.

  
  


"How's he doing?" Rise enters the room with a concerned look.

  
  


"Bad, I think the fever is getting worse." Yukiko wets the cloth in water and puts it on his forehead again.

  
  


"What are the others doing?" Yukiko asks.

  
  


"Kanji and Yosuke are helping Nanako make soup and Chie and Teddie are cleaning up the house for Nanako." Rise says, leaning against the door wall.

  
  


"I see..." Yukiko had a serious look on her face. The idol looked at Yu with a worried look, it almost looked like she was going to cry.

  
  


"Let's go down, the others are calling us." The idol took Yukiko's shoulder.

  
  


"Ok." the black-haired girl went down next to the redhead, and soon they approached Chie who had sat on the sofa, tired of sweeping and cleaning.

  
  


Yukiko went to the kitchen and Kanji, taking the cue, left and went to sit next to Chie.

  
  


Rise, seeing that everyone was finally together for good, decided to say what everyone was thinking. "We all watched the Midnight Channel yesterday, right?"

  
  


"It was definitely Yu ..." Chie said worriedly.

  
  


"How is this possible?" Yosuke said returning from the kitchen. "He didn't even appear on TV."

  
  


"Naoto is investigating this." Kanji crosses his arms. "Our main concern should be to make senpai safe."

  
  


"Should we tell him?" Teddie said in a low voice. The blonde was absolutely worn out with worry, he didn't know how to deal with it and it scares him. Yu was his friend, his sensei, and what if something happens to him? He's strong, of course, but... His were helpless now and ...What if they can't protect Yu? What if he gets caught when they can't see? The frightening possibilities were taking Teddie hostage and he didn't know how to deal with it.

  
  


Chie got up a little from the couch that was lying and looked at Teddie. "I don't think he should know? He's sick."

  
  


"And knowing him, Yu will try even harder and will do anything to catch the guy if he knows he's the next target."

  
  


"We're going to have shifts to stay here. Mister Dojima and Nanako wouldn't mind extra help."

  
  


"Sounds good! If we stay around there is no way for him to get Senpai."

* * *

Yu was waking up and sleeping all day, he was too tired to stay awake but too cold ( _heat?_ ) To sleep.

  
  


And that irritated him.

  
  


He wanted to sleep, relax at least a little and he was not getting it right, even though he could not distinguish what was happening around him, he still could not sleep.

  
  


Despite his groggy and aggrieved mind, he could still swear he heard voices from some of his friends coming in and out of the room, and he just can't understand why they are here.

  
  


Why the hell were they wasting their time with him when it was a full Sunday?

  
  


Didn't they have anything better to do?

  
  


He's grateful that they stayed here, but he just doesn't understand **why** they're here.

  
  


Downstairs, he could hear Yukiko's voice profusely apologizing for having to go back to the inn and had said that Teddie and Yosuke were coming in less than ten minutes.

  
  


Yukiko was asking if everything would be all right while she was alone for that short time. Nanako gave a happy and excited response saying that she would be fine and that she had nothing to worry about.

  
  


He could hear the door close and Nanako go back to the kitchen, he relaxed and tried to go back to sleep. He did have a little nap for his happiness, but soon he heard the doorbell being ringed and the door being opened again.

  
  


He thought it was Teddie and Yosuke who had arrived, but while he heard the voices, ( _as attentive as any sick person could hear_ ) he realized that the only voice he had there ( _besides Nanako's_ ) was one he didn't know.

  
  


Until a cry came, and it was not that of the unknown man.

  
  


His injured mind panicked. It must be a thief trying to hurt his cousin, but Nanako wouldn't be stupid enough to open the door to a stranger, right?

  
  


Ignoring the thoughts, Yu's first instinct was to get up and protect Nanako from the man.

  
  


Yu got up too fast and ended up getting a little dizzy and leaned against the wall and tried to run down the stairs, he got there in time to see the man locking Nanako in the closet. Yu tried to get something from the kitchen to defend himself before the man came to attack him, so he went straight to the man.

  
  


The tall, even slightly thin man was stronger than he was in his weakened state. The man managed to drop him on the ground with ease and all he saw after that was black.

* * *

Yu was limp in the man's arms, eyes closed and wet with sweat from the fever. The boy had passed out, easier to take him away from here.

  
  


While listening to Nanako's desperate screams from inside the closet calling his cousin ( _desperate is an understatement, the girl was scratching her throat from shouting her cousin's name_ ) the man took Yu and put him on his back, taking him inside the truck.

  
  


The truck was empty, except for the only TV in the corner. He, carefully, lays Yu in the corner of the truck, closes the door, and goes to the driver's seat.

  
  


He leaves and takes the sick boy with him.

* * *

Teddie and Yosuke were in a hurry to get to the Dojima residence ( _since they were late because of Teddie looking for the phone_ ) since Nanako was alone with a very sick Yu when he could even be kidnapped. They were a corner away when they saw a truck leaving the front of the house.

  
  


They hurried and found the door to the house open and heard Nanako's desperate screams coming from the closet.

  
  


Teddie went to open the closet while Yosuke went upstairs to look for Yu, he wasn't there and Yosuke was in a panic.

  
  


He went down quickly to see Nanako crying in Teddie's arms. The blonde was speaking comforting words to Nanako, trying to calm her down.

  
  


"Nanako-chan" Yosuke kneels next to Nanako. "What happened?"

  
  


It was useless, Nanako doesn't stop crying and Yosuke decides to call Dojima. Dojima's number was in the fridge’s door, for Yuseke’s luck. He called and waited patiently for Dojima to answer.

  
  


"Nanako, what–"

  
  


"Dojima-san, sorry to disturb you, I'm not Nanako, but I need to talk to you" Yosuke spoke quickly.

  
  


"What happened? Who are you?" Dojima replied suspiciously, his detective side taking over listening to a voice that didn't even come from his daughter or nephew.

"I'm a friend of Yu's, and I came here with another friend to check on him and I found Nanako crying, please come here, I need to talk to you," Yosuke says, sounding desperate.

  
  


"Is she okay? Where's Yu? He's okay?" The concern in his voice was audible, after he let his guard down and heard that his daughter was crying for unknown reasons, the dad mode was activated.

  
  
  


"She’s with a friend of mine, who’s trying to calm her down, other than that, she’s fine," Yosuke said.

  
  


"And Yu? Where is he?"

  
  


"That's the problem, sir, I don't know."

  
  


"What?"

  
  


"Sir, please come home, I need to talk to you and Nanako won’t stop crying, and neither I nor Teddie can make her stop to answer the questions, please..."

  
  


"Okay, I'm coming back."

  
  


Yosuke hung up the phone and decided to wait for Dojima. He walked over to Teddie who was still trying to calm Nanako.

  
  


"Did she say anything?" the redhead asked.

  
  


"Nothing, she doesn't calm down."

  
  


"I called Dojima, he's coming"

  
  


"I hope Sensei is fine."

  
  


"He'll be fine, it's Yu, after all."


	2. Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hope you like the chapter!

Dojima didn't know what to do, he just got a call from Yu's friend saying that Nanako was crying and Yu was nowhere to be found.

  
  


He was beyond concerned. Nanako crying and Yu nowhere to be found while he was sick? The boy’s smart, he wouldn’t do that unless something happened. 

  
  


This is not normal at all.

  
  


He hurried out of the police station and ran to his house.

  
  


Where was Yu? My God, where was Yu?

  
  


He arrived home shortly after. Yosuke was standing by the door and Nanako had Teddie holding her while he tried his best to calm the little girl down.

  
  


"Nanako!" Dojima speaks as he enters the house to see his daughter. Teddie releases her and she runs into her father's arms.

  
  


“Dad!”

  
  


"Daddy!"

  
  


"Nanako, calm down, breathe." Dojima crouches and knees to the height of his daughter. "What happened?"

  
  


Nanako took a deep breath, sniffing from the previous cry.

  
  


"The postman came and I opened the door, I didn't think... I didn't think.." Nanako says and they could barely understand what she says before she begins to cry once more and Dojima looks up at Yosuke and Teddie, looking for any kind of small explanation.

  
  


Anything they had was going to be useful.

  
  


Anything.

  
  


Yosuke soon goes to the sidewalk, leaving Teddie to explain any clues they might have.

  
  


"We found her trapped inside the closet. The front door was open and Yu was not in his room and since the house is small and Nanako is crying like that, we assume that he isn’t here." Teddie responds anxiously, playing with his hands.

  
  


Yosuke was at the door with the phone to his ear, probably calling his friends, assumed Dojima.

  
  


Dojima takes a deep breath. He won’t be able to solve this case like that, there’s a difference between investigating kidnappings that happened with people he didn’t know, to the ones that happen with his family specifically.

  
  


He won’t be able to keep his head on the line for this.

  
  


But what other choice does he have?

  
  


"Blondie, can you do me a favor?" He turns to Teddie. "Go to the phone in the kitchen and call Adachi. His number is on the fridge, his name is on it. Just tell him to come here as soon as possible."

  
  


Without any other choice, Teddie obeyed the very intimidating man that was Dojima and went to call the Adachi guy.

  
  


Dojima soon returns his attention to the girl sobbing in front of him. Nanako was sitting by the door, desperately trying to dry the tears that were falling from her eyes.

  
  


Dojima tries to help the girl wipe her tears. By taking her small hands off her face, he tries to wipe the tears with his own hands in the most delicate way he could do.

  
  


"Calm down Nanako," he says, stroking the girl's back. She just said a heap of "I'm sorry, I'm sorry"

  
  


He wondered why he was doing this, he could barely compose himself.

  
  


A few minutes later, Adachi arrives at the house. His hair was disheveled and his suit was mismatched as if he were in a hurry.

  
  


"Dojima-san! Dojima-san!" He screams while leaving the car in a hurry. "What happened?" He soon goes to his colleague's side.

  
  


"Yu is gone"

  
  


"The boy is gone? What? But.." Adachi was showing a false concern for Dojima at that time. His eyes curved in a false display of confusion. "What about Nanako-chan?"

  
  


"She doesn't stop crying, she's just calming down now."

  
  


Speaking of his daughter, the detective turns his attention to the little girl, giving her little pats on the back while saying comforting words to the girl.

  
  


Knowing that he was not going to get anything else from Dojima, Adachi decided to ask Teddie and Yusuke. They responded and explained what happened in the calmest way possible.

  
  


From the moment they got there to the moment before Adachi got there.

  
  


Some teenagers arrived sometime after they finished their talk. They were, for the most part, alarmed and scared.

  
  


Whatever Yosuke told them, it was probably harsher than what he heard just now.

  
  


"What happened?" Kanji screams, scared, alarmed, afraid.

  
  


Angry.

  
  


Adachi, realizing how upset Dojima was, decided to tell the kids himself what happened.

  
  


"Yu is gone," Adachi replies. Looking directly at the teenagers, waiting anxiously for the reaction they could give.

  
  


"What?" Naoto responds calmly.

  
  


"Yosuke and Teddie found Nanako trapped in the closet, the door open and Yu nowhere in the house."

  
  


"But..." Yukiko starts, her eyes trying to find something she could focus on, a deep breath coming out of her mouth, she continues. "It was my fault! I left before my shift was over and I left them alone, I am so sorry!” Yukiko cries, bowing apologetically for Nanako and Dojima to see.

  
  


"Don’t say that!" Chie goes over to her friend. "It wasn't your fault, you had no way of knowing that this was going to happen!"

  
  


"It wasn't anyone's fault ..." Rise said, approaching the two girls.

  
  


"I..." Nanako's voice comes out of nowhere. The girl comes out of her father's embrace and looks at her cousin's friends.

  
  


"I let the postman in... I didn't know... I see him all the time, I didn't think he would..." More tears came from the girl's eyes. Naoto pulls the phone out quickly, calling someone.

  
  


The sobbing started again and she was soon crying once more.

  
  


"It wasn't your fault, Nanako, you didn't know..." Dojima again tries to calm his daughter down.

  
  


"Yes! It was his fault! He caught Yu, not you! You didn’t have the intention to let him in" Yosuke tried to comfort the girl.

  
  


"But it’s because of me... It’s because of me that Big Bro is gone!" Nanako cries.

  
  


"We’re going to find him..." says Naoto. With a surprisingly calm voice. Naoto went to the girl. "He'll be fine."

  
  


Naoto walks towards the girl and kneels next to her. Nanako looks closely at the blue-haired teenager and extends her pinky.

  
  


"Promise?"

  
  


"Promise." Naoto extends her pinky and the two cross, forming a promise between the two girls.

  
  


This was a little reassuring for Nanako who was crying in her father's arms.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Dojima couldn't stop thinking about the letter that had arrived at his house some time ago. The letter was strange, it was for his nephew, but he was sick and could not read the letter so he kept it in his room.

  
  


He did not resist after a while and read the letter himself.

  
  


_"If you don't stop, the next one to come in and die will be someone dear to you."_

  
  


He was in shock when he read the letter, was his nephew related to the murders? How? How did this happen?

  
  


At first, he didn’t want to connect the dots. It was impossible, right? The Yu that he knows wouldn’t be involved in something like this. 

  
  


But the evidence was right there and there was no refuting it. 

  
  


He came around the same time the body was found and this letter came after a few months after some failed attempts by the murderer to get more victims. 

  
  


But at the same time, it didn’t add up. 

  
  


The assassin’s letter was a clear attempt to make Yu stop doing something. It wasn’t a congratulation or something that could make it seem like they were partners. More as if the killer was angry at Yu. 

  
  


Yu was probably bothering the killer? 

  
  


It was impossible but possible at the same time and it irritated him.

  
  


He was angry at the unanswered questions, but he couldn't stay that way for a long time, the poor boy was sick, very sick and he just couldn't get mad at him.

  
  


Until today when he was kidnapped.

  
  


My God, his nephew was kidnapped.

  
  


The boy he started to see as a son was kidnapped.

  
  


He can die. ( _My God, no, no, no, it won't happen. He won't let it happen._ )

  
  


He was hurt by Yu, very hurt, but not angry, now he can only be angry with himself for letting the boy be taken away like that.

  
  


He was his guardian and he failed as one.

  
  


Family sticks together, and he neglected his daughter at first thinking he was protecting her from what happened to her mother. If it weren't for Yu he would probably still be away from his daughter. Now he neglected Yu, and he feels awful, he didn't even stop at home to check on his nephew!

  
  


He feels awful, he feels terrible.

  
  


This is his fault and he knows it, he should have paid attention to the boy, but he didn't and now he is somewhere dea- ( _alive, he’s alivealivealivealive-_ )

  
  


Still, he wanted to know more. His curiosity betrayed him, he wanted to know why, why did his nephew get involved in this? How did he get involved in this? Not now, wait Dojima, wait... ( _He can't wait, he wants his son back, give him back!_ )

  
  


He waited until Adachi took Nanako to the police car and took her to the police station to turn around and talk to his nephew's friends.

  
  


With a serious look ( _which hid panic, sadness, anger_ ) he said:

  
  


"Yu was involved in the murders, wasn't he?"

  
  


He took the letter that was in his pocket, in the same pocket he put in when he received it that morning, and gave it to his friends.

  
  


Naoto took the letter and read it carefully ( _shit she should have noticed, she should, should, he’s your friend_ ) she breathed and sighed, don't go crazy now Naoto, he's fine, calm down.

  
  


"What do you plan to do now?" She replies, returning the letter to Dojima.

  
  


The letter crumpled in his hand (itsyourfaultitsyourfault).

  
  


"Tell me everything you know"

  
  


* * *

  
  


Yu woke up with a violent push.

  
  


His eyes opened and everything was dark and blurry and meaningless. Opening his mouth didn't work and his throat was dry, he was very tired and his arms and legs were heavy and it seemed like they didn’t want to move. 

  
  


In short: He was tired. Very tired.

A few minutes passed and he tried again, he tried to lift his head and immediately regretted it because a wave of dizziness attacked him.

  
  


He couldn't do anything and just let his head fall down the side of the corner of the truck again while rocking him made him want to throw up.

  
  


It was then that he realized that he was not at home but in a truck.

  
  


The man ( _who he still didn't know who he was, just to make it worse_ ) was trying to talk to him ( _emphasis on trying, since Yu could barely hear_ ) saying that he would thank him for that he was "saving you", that he didn't mean to scare the girl, but he couldn't be sure.

  
  


( _He was tired._ )

  
  


Izanagi rages in his mind, trying to get Yu to stay awake and cursing the man openly in ways that Yu didn’t know a Persona could do.

  
  


The others tried the same, but he was so tired of being awake.

  
  


Blinking left him exhausted.

  
  


But even so, he raised his hand and shook it trying to ask for help.

  
  


But this was the real world and none of his personas would come, even if they want to.

  
  


Soon after, black invaded his vision.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Nanako was terrible at the police station, although she stopped crying and shouting her cousin's name, she still felt guilty about what happened.

  
  


The others may have seen it as if it wasn't her fault, but she knew... She _knew_ it was her fault.

  
  


She couldn't help it, she brought something bad to everyone close to her, her mother died because of her ( _they may say no, but deep down she knows that it was she who caused her death_ ). Her father pushed her away because he blamed her, right?

  
  


Now big brother has been kidnapped because she was an idiot and opened the door for the postman ( _or was it a delivery man?_ )! All of the big brother’s friends must blame her _(and with good reason_ ).

  
  


And, oh... It will snow soon... They have a promise, right?

  
  


They promised to make a snowman and play together when it snowed...

  
  


He's not going to break his promise, right?

  
  


He promised... He promised…

  
  


Oh!

  
  


An idea came to her after all this.

  
  


"I'm going to surprise the big brother with a ring made by me!" Nanako said excitedly, yes... Maybe a ring that she put on love and affection ( _and not her bad luck_ ) would work.

  
  


She runs over to Adachi at the "Adachi-san!"

  
  


"Nanako-chan?" Adachi turns to the small girl. "Did something happen?"

  
  


"I need to get some things at home... Can you take me there?" Nanako asks with a smile on her face.

  
  


"Ah, well ... Your father told me to leave you here ..." Adachi replies putting his hand behind his head.

  
  


"But it’s just to get some things... Come on, come on! We'll be back soon."

  
  


Adachi for a little while to think, he may not like the girl very much ( _he doesn't really like anyone._ ) But he had to keep the act for now, and what could go wrong? Just get some toys for the child to shut up, nothing much. "Okay! But it's really quick, okay?"

  
  


"OK!"

  
  


* * *

  
  


Naoto ran against the time at that moment. She was in her car while her butler drove to get her friends while she was analyzing any kind of clue they had.

  
  


"I still don’t understand!" Said Rise, her voice agitated as if she was in a hurry to do something, anything. "Why Senpai?"

  
  


Naoto composes herself before talking to Rise. Taking a deep breath, she responds. "They didn't see him, but they heard him."

  
  


"What? What do you mean?" Rise replied confused and suspicious, stopping whatever she was doing, waiting for a clear answer from the blue-haired detective.

  
  


"Do you remember the politician who visited our school and appeared in the papers several times?" Naoto begins, her voice sounding suspiciously shaky. "In these interviews, he always quoted a student with whom he spoke."

  
  


"Ah, yes! I remember that!"

  
  


"He became known, even though he remained anonymous. That student was Senpai!" Naoto throws the answer in the air.

  
  


"It can’t be..."

  
  


"A reporter who was interested in this released a photo and interview in the afternoon newspaper using his real name..." Naoto replies while her hand squeezes the newspaper in anger.

  
  


"Besides, this is a small country town. They probably knew it was him a long time ago." Shit! She failed him, shefailedshefailedshefailed-

  
  


"Damn it! I should have noticed! But I was so caught up in the idea that it was just people who appeared on TV!" useless, you failed. What was the purpose of all those skills that it took she wasted so many years to have if you couldn't even save her friend?

  
  
  


What good was that opportunity to investigate a case if you let the person who gave it die?

  
  
  


"What are we going to do? Senpai is with that... that freak!" Rise responds angrily. Naoto could hear something falling on the floor and breaking.

  
  


"While we're talking, we've already tracked his car."

  
  


* * *

  
  


Adachi did not expect to receive a call from Naoto sometime after returning to the police station with a Nanako full of little things to make rings and bracelets.

  
  


"Mr. Adachi!" Naoto screams.

  
  


"We found him, it _is_ him!" Naoto shouted in Adachi's ear. "The delivery man, Namatame!"

  
  


* * *

  
  


Dojima had gone out to look for anything suspicious about the delivery man who kidnapped his nephew ( _his son_ ) and every time nothing came he could feel his breath hitching a little more.

  
  


It's been a long time, the risk of Yu already being dead is very high, and- no, don't think about it! He's fine, it's Yu! He wouldn't die like that.

  
  


The phone rings and Dojima feels that trace of despair. Did they find him?

  
  


"Wait, Yu!" Dojima mutters, trying to keep a minimum of hope that everything would work out. ( _wait, wait just a little longer!_ )

  
  


He answered and Adachi's voice came over the phone.

  
  


"Dojima-san! Where are you?" Adachi’s voice sounded frantic as if he were running to get somewhere.

  
  


"On a road! If it's not important-"

  
  


"The culprit... We confirmed who it was!" Adachi screams. “Nanako-chan was right! It's as you suspected! The delivery man is Namatame!”

  
  


He passes, Namatame passes and he sees... He sees the bastard who caught his nephew.

  
  


"Namatame Taro!"

  
  


The damn bastard!

  
  


Dojima quickly shuts off the phone and goes after Namatame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And one more chapter added! It seems like I'll have to add a few more chapters to this story, I didn't remember my sketch to be SO long (14000 words long to be precise) and the fact that I'll probably expand this by several pages makes me quite worried about the spelling mistakes lmao. 
> 
> Anyway, I really hope you liked the Namatame shenanigan. I didn't really know what excuse I should give to him, so I kinda made it that Nanako never really knew his name or identity to tell them and she just said "the postman" as a hint to who it was, letting Naoto and Dojima having little clues to work with.
> 
> I really hope you stick to me 'till the end of this story, see you next chapter!


	3. Breath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please warn me for any spelling mistakes in this chapter!

"He's heading for the main road down the main street in the city's business district!" Dojima speaks, speeding the car towards the kidnapper. "I won't let you get away!"

  
  


Adachi quickly tells where they are going to Naoto, who decided to split up to catch the rest of the team after they let Nanako on the police station.

  
  


Namatame was panicking in the truck, the police were after him and he didn't understand why. What did he do wrong? He was saving those people! Do the police happen to be on the killer's side?

  
  


He was saving this boy! Why didn't anyone see that?

  
  


"Dojima-san!" Adachi shouted to the superior, trying to catch up with him in the busy city. Naoto was not far behind Adachi.

  
  


Dojima accelerates the car and chases the truck in which Yu was at an alarmingly high speed.

  
  


If before Namatame was in a panic. Now he was terrified, he turns the truck over in an attempt to stop Dojima and the crash happens...

  
  


"Stop!" Naoto yells to her driver as soon as she sees it happening. 

  
  


"Dojima-san!" Adachi arrives shortly after, running to the side of his superior. Naoto follows the older police officer and kneels beside him, the other students not far behind her.

  
  


"Where's Yu?" it's the first thing he says to no one in particular, Adachi soon leaves and goes to call an ambulance for the injured man leaving the students behind.

  
  


"Where's Yu?" He asks again. "What about Namatame?"

  
  


A silent request came soon after, "Please find them."

  
  


Dojima said as he looked deep into Naoto's eyes, his request resonating in the minds of all students.

  
  


And yet, for this request everyone has the same answer, no matter what happens, they will save Yu and stop this wave of murders. Soon after, they were all searching for clues anywhere they could find

  
  


"All right," Naoto replies, standing up and giving Dojima a reassuring smile. "I will preserve the crime scene, sir, and I will find them, that’s a promise."

  
  


"Hanamura-senpai, here!" A voice calls, and soon both Naoto and Yosuke are running in the direction of the truck.

Kanji, with Yosuke's help, opens the door of the truck that was surprisingly unlocked, though both were greeted by the void. A single diary and a sheet covering something were what was present on the scene to the students' displeasure.

  
  


"He's gone..." Kanji murmurs when Naoto gets in the truck to get the diary, Chie goes right behind to investigate what was hidden on that sheet.

  
  


"Look!” Chie screams after taking the sheets off. “A TV! There's a TV here!" 

  
  


Yukiko's eyes widen and guilt weighs on her. Her legs run without her permission and she tries desperately to get on the truck, when she feels two arms grabbing her around the waist, she tries to get out of the arms grip.

  
  


"We have to save Yu!" She screams

  
  


"But what if you stop somewhere strange?!" Teddie answers back while grabbing Yukiko.

  
  


"But.. !"

  
  


"If we fail, Yukiko, who's going to save Yu?" Chie says, trying to calm her friend.

  
  


And it’s the truth, the docile and gentle Yu would not want them to take chances like that. He's too good for his own good, he would rather bear the burden alone than let them be hurt by it. _ He wouldn't want that. _

  
  


Yukiko finally gives up trying to get on TV. Teddie releases her and she soon sits on the edge of the truck, waiting for any new information they can find.

  
  


"This diary... It was probably from Namatame." Naoto begins with a calm voice ( _ inside she was bursting with anger and guilt. You don't deserve it, don’t you see? You never deserved to be friends with them. _ ) "'I discovered the existence of a new world... So I must save people.' "

  
  


"Save?" Kanji asks, did that madman think he was saving people? ( _ Make no mistake, Kanji, you should have noticed it sooner too. _ ) "What do you mean?"

  
  


Naoto turns the page and to her surprise, the addresses of all the victims were on these pages. They were hard to read due to the bad calligraphy, but she knew those names too well to not recognize them.

  
  


"Yamano Mayumi, Konishi Saki, Amagi Yukiko, Tatsumi Kanji, Kujikawara Rise... Even the victims who survived and were never revealed to the public are here!" Naoto speaks, running out of the truck to show the others. "Besides, it doesn't have Morooka-sensei's address!"

  
  


"Incredible! So everything is settled!"

  
  


"The last page was today. 'I can't believe that boy appeared there. I must save him, no matter what.' "

  
  


"Naoto..." He starts. "Yu... He can't die. You can save him, can't you? Please... Save him for me."

  
  


"We will"

  
  


* * *

  
  


Yu was dragged from the truck to TV quickly, he had barely noticed that the truck had stopped, and he only realized it when he saw that it was no longer in the dark but in a completely different place.

  
  


He couldn't quite understand it, but he saw that the place was too white ( _ maybe too beautiful for his taste _ ).

  
  


He felt he was getting held onto someone's back, Namatame? That was the name, he doesn't quite remember. He doesn't even know if this was really Namatame.

  
  


Despite his weakened state and the dull headache, Yu slowly extended his hand forward.

  
  


"I-Izanagi!" Yu screams and his Persona furiously leaves, hitting Namatame's arm where he was holding Yu in the fog. He screams and ends up releasing Yu who fell to his knees.

  
  


Izanagi knelt and placed his sword protectively in front of Yu.

  
  


"Don't you understand that I'm saving you ?!" Namatame snarls, getting up and moving closer to the silver-haired boy.

  
  


Yu couldn't answer, the weight of the fog barely let him breathe it was heavy against his chest, which made it difficult to respond and his ability to keep his eyes open.

  
  


"The police, those brats don’t they understand that I saved them!? Why?!" Namatame yells at Yu, who was weak and barely seeing what was going on. "Is this the “thank you” I get ?!"

  
  


Yu was too weak to maintain his Persona, soon Izanagi left without his will, and again, he was alone.

  
  


Yu doesn't respond and feels the wave of dizziness and tiredness rise. Namatame soon picks him up again and takes him as far as he can.

  
  


+-+-+-+-+-

  
  


**"They won’t come after me."**

  
  


Yu's soft but desperate tone echoed over the place and stopped them. "Senpai! Where are you?"

  
  


**"Everyone always says they'll remember me. But when I leave, they forget me. It’s like I never even existed."**

  
  


"That’s not true!" Teddie shouts back with tears in his eyes.

  
  


**"Maybe I should stay here... Where I will not be alone. Where I can be loved."**

  
  


"There!" Naoto shouted, pointing to them to see where Yu was, they all run as fast as they can to reach their leader and the view was not good.

  
  


He was kneeling on the floor and looked horrible. He was frighteningly pale and the only color he had on his face was just the spots of fever on his cheeks. He was panting and his body was shaking with effort just to stay awake.

  
  


"Yu!"

  
  


Everyone screams to get the attention of the silver-haired boy and for a measly instant, they can see Yu's white eyes staring at them, a small, relieved smile forming on his face.

  
  


"Did you follow me here?" Namatame screams at the teenagers and Yu and the teenagers' relief is crumbling.

  
  


"Yu!" Yosuke screams.

  
  


"Guys..." Yu replies weakly, his body requiring maximum effort just to utter a word

  
  


"Are you Namatame Taro?" Naoto asks, her eyes shining with anger as she faces the man.

  
  


"Who are you!?" Namatame's eyes scan person by person until the realization hits, a manic laugh came from the man. "Ah, you are the one I saved!"

  
  


"Huh !? 'Saved'?" Kenji asks approaching Yukiko.

  
  


"What is he talking about?" Yukiko says.

  
  


"I will save you ..."

  
  


"Shut up! Give Yu back!" Yosuke was starting to run out of patience, a grimace of anger forming as he tried his best not to hit the man right there. (He did so much for you, helping you to face the truth and you couldn't even watch him while he is sick, what a friend you are). 

  
  


Namatame, realizing that he was not safe here, starts running, taking Yu with him. Yosuke quickly runs to catch the man.

  
  


The rest of the team starts running to get to the man. They are soon able to stop him. ( _ it seems like running carrying a child isn’t a good idea _ )

  
  


"Namatame Taro!" Naoto catches up with him in time to stop him. "You put the people who appeared on the midnight channel in this world, didn't you?"

  
  


He admits to putting everyone in there because at midnight someone alerts him about something.

  
  


Everyone thinks it's crazy ( _ it's crazy _ ).

  
  


He goes on to say that he just wanted to save them.

  
  


"Stop with that saving bullshit! You're killing them!" Yosuke yells to the man.

  
  


"It's a lie!  _ You _ are the ones who plan to kill him!"

  
  


"What?"

  
  


"I will save him... I will save him from you, from  _ all _ of you!"

  
  


"Stop!"

  
  


"I am a savior! I am a hero!" Shadows swarmed Namatame, casting him into deep darkness. His voice was manic as his laughter echoed around the place.

  
  


Yu's coughs could be heard from this darkness were heavy and thick, it looked like he was out of breath. Worry filled the air.

  
  


Shadows and more shadows came out of nowhere, Namatame was attracting several to him.

  
  


"I will... Save him!" Namatame screams. A humanoid creature appears, with a strange halo type on its head.

  
  


He surrounds Yu with the same halo and leaves him on the floor. Yu feels strange as if a lot of ropes have been tied around his legs and arms.

  
  


Yu gets up strangely and puts his hand forward against his will. "No..."

  
  


"What? What happened?" Chie asks frantically. ( _ My God your friend, help your friend Chie, help help help, he was the one who accepted you despite your selfishness, saves him! _ )

  
  


"Guys... Run!" Yu tries to scream as loudly as he can even with his dry throat and shortness of breath. Adrenaline is what's keeping him awake now.

  
  


Saturnus launched himself at them furiously, hurling his fireballs at his friends.

  
  


"Senpai, what happening!?" Kanji screams in despair.

  
  


He changes Personas, this time Arahabaki came to protect him.

  
  


"The enemy is controlling him!" Rise tells her friends her final analysis.

  
  


"It can’t be," Yukiko replies.

  
  


Yu was weak, breathless, and barely able to see what was around him. Since he was without his glasses it only got worse, he didn't even know exactly where his friends were, attacking only with his body controlled by Namatame.

  
  


Yu changes Personas again, this time Atropos appears with a furious gust of wind. Taking them all away.

  
  


"Yu!" Yosuke yells, trying to reach his friend.

  
  


"I can't..." The voice is low and barely reaches the team's ears. For Yu’s despair his Personas are switched again, Tan Lin appearing and attacking Hanamura with a powerful electric attack.

  
  


"Hanamura!"

  
  


Yu switches Personas once again, Beelzebub being the one that appears and Rise immediately realizes the danger. "Watch out! This one is dangerous!"

  
  


"Are you kidding with me..." Kanji looks at the huge monster that was there.

  
  


"He's charging the attack to finish us off at once!" Rise says in a panic.

  
  


"Damn it..!" gasps Yu. "Stop!"

  
  


"Yes, I won't let anyone get in the way," Namatame says preparing to launch the attack.

  
  


"Stop!" Yu screams.

  
  


_ "When I get better, I promise to make a snowman with you." _

_ “Yay! We’re going to make a huge snowman! ” _

  
  


"Nana..ko"

  
  


"Now!" Rise screams, the others attack Beelzeebub with everything they have, also attacking the hand that was controlling Yu.

  
  


"Senpai!" Naoto cries trying to run to him, Namatame doesn't let him and attacks her immediately, Kanji protects her in time, but she has no way of knowing how long it will last.

  
  


"Damn it..!" Yu raises his hand and manages to break the control, he falls to his knee and Chie catches him in time. He stays awake for a while.

  
  


"Give it back... Give it back!" Namatame’s control this time goes to the others. Chie who is with him in her arms is almost forced to take him to Namatame, Yu quickly raises his burnt hand in a desperate attempt to protect himself and stop the others ( _ protect them Yu, are your friends, they have endured you so far and they will not forget you! _ ).

  
  


"Senpai! Run!" Rise screams desperately until the explosion happens.

  
  


Yu manages to summon another Persona, Kohryu is what Yu managed to summon. The Persona separates him from Chie and defends all attacks directed at him, he destroys all the halos at once, and as fast as he came he left.

  
  


"Stop messing me up! I will save you!"

  
  


"I won't let you do that!" Yosuke speaks, all the team at once attacking Namatame, easily knocking him down.

  
  


With the Shadows out of control, Yu again helps by summoning Sraosha to kill them all at once.

  
  


And victory is what they had. 

  
  


* * *

The swapping of Personas in rapid succession proved to be too much for Yu's body. It didn’t help t by the fog and the extreme stress placed on him (but he would gladly do it again if it meant protecting his friends.)

  
  


Someone touched his shoulder and the adrenaline that was left that was still pumped into his body was gone for good.

  
  


His vision had black spots and was getting blurred. Cold sweat covered his skin. With each sigh, more effort was needed. His burnt right hand throbbed  _ (it hurt a lot, it even sent spikes of pain in his arms. _ ) The reluctant damage his friends had done to stop him was making him even worse ( _ he felt pain in his chest and legs from the explosions, even though Kohryu had protected him from most of the damage. _ )

  
  


"Yu!!" Someone screams, he can't tell who it is.

  
  


"He doesn't look hurt, other than his hand" Another voice speaks.

  
  


"The place must be doing him harm. We should get him out of here fast!"

Darkness was everything he could see after that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the wait! I got busy in the last few days that I just couldn't update! Anyway, the chap is here I hopped you liked it, see you soon!

**Author's Note:**

> And the first chapter ends. I really hope you liked reading through this first chapter. 
> 
> I actually have the entire story already written, but it is so crude that I'm treating it like a sketch for this lmao. I might post a new chapter tomorrow or something. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you liked it, bye-bye!!!


End file.
